In the scope of recent developments of energy management of devices and the use of an overall “Smart Grid,” it is assumed that many utility devices (e.g., refrigerators, ovens, washing machines, etc.) in homes and offices will be connected to an in-home communication network (“home network”). This home network, in turn, may be connected to a utility or service provider via an external communication network in the neighborhood or through the broadband network or Internet. When connected to the network, the customer and the utility or service provider may be able to monitor and control the utility device, to reduce or optimize energy consumption and efficiently control operational modes.
There are two initial conditions necessary to provide reliable identification and authentication of the device. (1) The utility device has to be connected to the appropriate network, i.e., to the network that the user desires to connect. In case network is built over a shared medium, like wireless or powerline, a utility device connected to the medium can detect and potentially can join to more than one network. Some of these networks can belong to neighbors or potential intruders. (2) The utility device needs to have the right password to be authenticated after it joins the network.
Ordinarily, a user through an appropriate user interface enters into a new utility device, prior to connection to the medium, the name of the network the device is supposed to join (e.g., the well known SSID value for wireless LAN) and the password (e.g., the WEP key value for wireless LAN). However, many utility devices do not include the necessary user interface to enable the entry of such foregoing information.